February 26, 2018

"Let's make a deal. Do not come to Florida for spring break unless gun legislation is passed. These politicians won't listen to us so maybe they'll listen to the billion-dollar tourism industry in Florida."

On the surface, it's a perfectly logical suggestion. After all, money talks.

August 15, 2017

In the wake of the President's tepid and flip-floppy response to this weekend's tragic events in Charlottesville, people and companies are starting to say "no mas." And, while it's not nearly enough, it is definitely a promising start.

And, Airbnb, the disruptive hospitality platform that the industry loves to hate, has aggressively moved to block consumers tied to hate groups from the lodging options it represents. In the days before Charlottesville, Airbnb was performing background checks to block people it believed were attending the Unite the Right rally, specifically those who were organizing large events on a neo-Nazi website. It reportedly also cancelled reservations and has removed some sympathetic homes from its site.

Which, of course, brings up the whole "you can't deny service to someone because of their lifestyle choices" challenge.

Sure you can. Indeed, States have adopted such laws, allowing, for instance, bakeries to refuse making a wedding cake for a gay couple. Which is childish and stupid...and all the more underscores that something as crucial for our future as blocking hate from gaining a greater foothold in our lives is the noble path.

June 21, 2017

United CFO Andrew Levy recently uncorked a doozy at an investors conference. Now, mind you...this is a CFO talking, not a CMO talking. But, still...to say that “people are really not surprised” at how horrid the Economy Plus experience is, given the ire on Social Media?

I'm a customer that United should want (I think). I fly a lot. I'm a million miler (not that I'm proud of that). Then again, maybe they want to be the airline of the masses. The unsophisticated hoards that clog TSA lines and make flying akin to a root canal.

But, the hubris of believing that you can provide a sub-standard product that customers hate by keeping prices $10 or $15 lower is a recipe for a consumer revolt.

I guess that's why I don't run a major airline. I could never knowingly provide such a horrible experience...and chuckle in my customer's face.

March 21, 2017

As Austin takes a deep breath after hosting the world at SXSW, political leaders will need to take a serious look at the brand hit the city took this year in the wake of shooing away Uber and Lyft.

Last year, Austin politicos proposed a policy that would require sharing economy transportation drivers to be fingerprinted. Uber and Lyft warned that, if implemented, they would decamp. And, when the measure passed, they made good on the threat.

So, getting around Austin this past week wasn’t nearly as easy (or as cool) as it was last year. Sure there were local ridesharing start-ups but, according to a writer for the Federalist, “Every festival-goer I spoke to this year, including founders of Silicon Valley startups, expressed dismay at the local ridesharing options and the absence of Uber and Lyft. They all reported rideshares that charged them but never showed up, charged outrageous fees for short rides or apps that continually crashed, requiring them to delete and re-download.”

In a world where image and consumer reviews are everything, what will this do to Austin’s image as a hotbed of innovation and creativity? SXSW isn’t just an event…it’s where the biggest tech brands and the international media descend for 10 days. And, if the cool kids can’t score a ride with a cool service, what does that say about how cool a city is?

I get that there are still significant public safety and tax implications with the sharing economy…and that Uber, in particular, has been a playground bully throughout the past few years. But, in the face of the international black-eye Austin just received, government needs to realize that blocking the sharing economy and passing bathroom bills hurt more than the bottom line.

If you're in the DMO space and aren't a subscriber, you really should be...if for nothing else the links.

My Z-News Commentary from yesterday encapsulates my response to what's been happening in Florida...and is starting to spread across the country: The demonification of Destination Marketing. And, it requires an immediate response from all of us in the industry.

And, yes...we'll be far less heavy in this blog tomorrow, as it will be another Music Friday.

Based upon the shenanigans that sometimes occur when a President is getting ready to depart the White House (like Clinton aides that removed all the "Ws" from keyboards before President Bush arrived), these memes star Joe Biden as a master of chicanery in the preparation for a new President.

October 23, 2014

The creative video coming out of an increasing number of Destination Marketing Organizations is nothing short of inspired. We shared some of the Rockford Area CVB's greatest hits. We've been fans of the work of Visit Athens GA, and Visit Houston.

And, we really like the new videos coming out of Visit Lexington KY (as does Skift). But, these are directed at Lexingtonians, encouraging residents to #ShareTheLex through the DMO's Social Media channels.

The first one featured Daniel Boone (or, at least a facsimile of) and has garnered over 17,000 YouTube views in the past year. The latest (and my fave), stars Henry Clay (with a cameo from the Shat).